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(SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced that tomorrow he will begin the appeal of the Ninth Circuit's decision invalidating the Pledge of Allegiance. Lockyer will do so by filing a notice of appearance with the Ninth Circuit.

The Attorney General also issued the following statement:

"Tomorrow, I will formally appear in this case on behalf of the State of California. I will request that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rehear and reconsider its decision invalidating the Pledge of Allegiance. While the court has voluntarily issued a stay of its decision, the Governor and I believe that the court's ruling is flawed and should be reversed.

California did not previously participate in this case because the lower court had determined that the petitioner, Michael Newdow, asserted no legal grounds to invalidate the Pledge and dismissed the State as a defendant. The appellate court's ruling revived Mr. Newdow's case against the State of California. The court's ruling is surprising and unusual. I will do everything in my power to see that the flawed Ninth Circuit decision is reversed."